University of KwaZulu-Natal

The School of Life Sciences, which is located on the Pietermaritzburg and Westville campuses, is one of five schools in the College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science. The School’s cutting edge laboratories and research equipment compare favourably with the best in the world. Caring and enthusiastic lecturers ensure that students emerge highly employable.

http://lifesciences.ukzn.ac.za/Homepage.aspx

This field of study encompasses all human, plant and animal life – ranging from microscopic germs to elephants and everything in between. Areas of specialisation within UKZN’s School of Life Sciences include: Biochemistry,Biology, Cellular Biology, Ecology, Genetics, Marine Biology and Microbiology.

http://lifesciences.ukzn.ac.za/Homepage.aspx

Biology

General bachelors degree focussed on cellular to organismal biology.

yes

full time

http://clmstl.ukzn.ac.za

http://clmsresearch.ukzn.ac.za

Marketing, Supply chain Management, Entrepreneurship

A Masters programme by research.

yes

full time, part time

A general accounting programme. Student can complete a major in Economics, IS&T or Finance.

yes

full time

A programme, that through the 4 majors - Accounting, Auditing, Tax and Estates planning and Managerial Accounting & Financial Management, can go on, through a further period of study, to write our (South African) Chartered Account (CA) Board exams, to qualify as a CA.

yes

full time

The School of Chemistry & Physics Teaching and Learning Division is responsible for the implementation of the teaching and learning initiatives within the school. It is also a platform for the communication of latest teaching and learning activities in the school and will serve as a resource centre on the global trends in the Chemistry and Physics education.

http://scp.ukzn.ac.za/Homepage.aspx

The School’s cutting-edge laboratories and research equipment compare favourably with the best in the world. Caring and enthusiastic lecturers ensure that students emerge highly employable, with a rich university experience and an excellent degree in Chemistry or Physics to their name.

http://scp.ukzn.ac.za/Homepage.aspx

Chemistry

Chemistry and Physics teaches one to solve problems. To be a Chemist or Physicist one needs an enquiring mind, good powers of observation, mathematical skills, practical ability, the adaptability to learn new skills throughout one’s career, and the social skills necessary to share one’s ideas with colleagues. These skills all make graduates from UKZN’s School of Chemistry and Physics highly employable.

yes

full time

As Computer Science is a rapidly challenging field the curriculum of programmes offered by the discipline is reviewed regularly. The curriculum has been benchmarked against national&international standards.

http://computerscience.ukzn.ac.za

Research focus areas in Computer Science fall within various fields of Artificial Intelligence. Specific areas of focus in Artificial Intelligence in the School include Knowledge Representation and Re asoning (KRR), Image Processing and Computer Vision, Biological Inspired Computing, Optimization, Ad aptive Systems and Data Mining.

http://computerscience.ukzn.ac.za

Artificial Intelligence

Our programmes are designed to conform to international best practice with respect to curriculum, contents, and practical relevance. Students have a strong focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI), which prepares them well for both further study and specialisation in AI and the industry. Over the years, it has been very difficult to retain our double major and other students in graduate studies as they are highly sought after by the South African industries and attracted by high remuneration packages. This is a testament to the quality of programme.

yes

full time

The BScEng is a 4-yr honours equivalent professional degree with a strong science foundation and som e specialisation in the 4th yr. Degree closely monitored by ECSA to meet their required Exit-level o utcomes. It is both scientific and academic and practical with application of learning undertaken in practical sessions in large, well-resourced workshops. Design modules provide training in research and presentation skills. Degree undertaken in the English language. Our top students are internation ally competitive.

http://eece.ukzn.ac.za/Homepage.aspx

The Masters degree allows for additional specialisation. Masters are technical and academic at a hig h standard, preparing for the PhD thesis where innovative research is possible. Academics are requir ed to undertake research and to publish. The main research areas attract funding from industry.

http://eece.ukzn.ac.za/Research.aspx

High Voltage direct current

Electrical Eng includes both high and low voltage engineering applications from the generation of electricity in power stations or units, electricity distribution, electronic equipment and applications to computerisation. The BScEng is a 4-yr professional, honours-equivalent degree allowing for professional registration. The 1st 3 yrs provide the basic science with specialisation opportunities in the 4th yr. Design modules prepare students for research and the Masters dissertation. It is scientific and technical with Physics, Chemistry, Applied Maths and 3 yrs of Maths.

yes

full time

Our first year Mathematics modules (Math 110/120) attempt to bridge the gap between ‘maths for use in other subjects’ and ‘maths as a discipline in its own right’. Applicable topics such as ca lculus, linear algebra and introductory combinatorics are taught, but as the course progresses, ther e is a gradual increase in the rigour with which these topics are treated, thereby ensuring that the students have exposure both to the activities of the pure mathematician and to the techniques requi red by the applied mathematician and other scientists.

http://maths.ukzn.ac.za/Homepage.aspx

Apart from general research in Pure and Applied Mathematics, the following focus areas are highlighted: Astrophysics and Cosmology; Artificial Intelligence; Financial Mathematics; Mathematical Biology and Theoretical fluid dynamics.

http://maths.ukzn.ac.za/Homepage.aspx

Mathematics

Over the last 300 years, it has become clear that mathematics is an important subject in its own right, and not just a slave to other disciplines. Scientists have become aware that in order to develop powerful problem-solving tools, one needs quite ‘abstract’ mathematics; a body of pure mathematics is required which can be studied independently of physics, biology and other user-disciplines. Pure and Applied Mathematics are therefore offered as different subjects, although there is much interdependence between them and each serves as an inspiration to the other.

yes

full time

Offer a 4-yr professional Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree, honours equivalent, for profess ional accreditation as Mechanical Engineers. Provide a broad-based, traditional Engineering approach at UG level with some opportunity to specialise in 4th yr and further specialisation at PG level. Have design modules in degree. Have strong science basis, including Physics and Chemistry, Applied Maths and 3 yrs of Mathematics. Have large workshops and provide substantial hands-on training. Our top graduates are internationally competitive.

http://mecheng.ukzn.ac.za/Homepage.aspx

The 4th year design project teaches the fundamentals of engineering research and prepares students for a Masters degree. The research Masters is technical, scientific and demanding but does not require innovation, which is required at the PhD level. There is a vibrant research environment in mechatronics: search and rescue, bioengineering and manufacturing systems, solar energy applications, aero space systems and materials research.

http://mecheng.ukzn.ac.za/Homepage.aspx

Mechatronics